BLOCKBUSTERS: SUMMER STILL AWAITS A MOVIE 'WITH LEGS'

"The X-Files"

"Lethal Weapon 4"

"The Truman Show"

"The Mask of Zorro"

The news Disney annimated feature "Mulan" has drawn a large audience.

In times past, before the days of central air, movie theaters were one of the few places in town that had air conditioning. Families, looking for a way to escape the heat, would go to the movies not only for the entertainment but for respite from the oppressive heat of the long, hot summers.

Studio moguls in Hollywood caught on quickly to the movie-going patterns and started releasing their bigger films during the summer, hoping to capture some of that large summer audience. Soon, the tradition of the summer blockbuster movie was born.

John Miller, general manager of 100 Kerasotes Theaters throughout the Midwest including five screens in Cape Girardeau, said the term "blockbuster" comes from the lines of people that would form waiting to get into the moviehouses. Often the lines would stretch down the street and around the corner, "busting the block."

"But we don't want anyone having to wait in line," he said, adding that his theaters try to get people in to enjoy the films as quickly as possible.

Nowadays the term blockbuster is defined in the industry by how much money the film generates at the box office. The going figure to be classified as a blockbuster is $100 million in domestic box office receipts.

So far this summer, three films had reached the magical $100 million mark through last weekend. "Deep Impact," which opened in May, has grossed over $137 million. "Godzilla" is a close second with $134 million. And "The Truman Show" has grossed $109.5 million.

Several other films are well on their way to grossing over $100 million, including "Dr. Dolittle," "Mulan" and "Armageddon." The last earned $52.9 million in its first five days. Industry analysts say that its on a pace to hit $150 million this summer alone.

"I don't know if we've seen the big blockbuster movie of the summer yet," said Kevin Dillon, general manager of the Cape West 14 Cine.

He is hopeful that some of the films still scheduled for release will be the blockbusters.

Industry estimates are that "Small Soldiers" and "Lethal Weapon 4" will break the $100 million barrier. "The Mask of Zorro" may also break that mark.

Both "Small Soldiers" and "Lethal Weapon 4" will open at Cape West Friday. "Zorro" is slated to open at the theater on July 17.

Though many of the summer's movies have opened big, they have not had the sustaining power that often marks the movie as a blockbuster. "Having legs," the industry calls it.

"Godzilla" opened strong nationwide -- and in Cape Girardeau, opening on four of the 14 screens at Cape West -- but died quickly. The film didn't have the repeat business that is often the mark of a blockbuster, Dillon said.

"The X-Files," based on the popular television show, saw more repeat business but began slowing down when "Armageddon" opened at the Town Plaza, Dillon said.

"It's more difficult for a movie to have legs," said Kerasotes' Miller.

"With the advent of video, the window is getting shorter and shorter. It's unusual now for a film to play for several months," Miller said.

The film with the longest legs in recent cinematic history was the Academy Award winning "Titanic," which opened at Cape West last Christmas.

"It's been playing (at the theater) ever since and staying strong throughout its run," Dillon said.

In Dillon's 12-year tenure as manager of movie theaters in Cape Girardeau, first at the West Park Mall and now at Cape West, two films -- "Aladdin" and "Top Gun" -- had been tied for the longest running movies in the city, each running for 26 weeks.

"Titantic" broke the record, running for 28 weeks. It closes in Cape Girardeau tonight.

But the all-time blockbuster movie is the 1939 classic "Gone with the Wind," which has enjoyed a re-release at 214 selected theaters nationwide this summer. The closest is in St. Louis.

In its second weekend of re-release, "Gone with the Wind" earned $820,000, bringing its totals to $195 million since its theatrical debut. When adjusted for inflation, the film has earned nearly a billion dollars in ticket sales alone.

Both Miller and Dillon also recommend that the public not forget about the sleepers -- films that may not have all the hype of the big studio films, but prove to be extremely popular with the public. "Basketball," from the producers of "South Park," will open at Cape West later this summer while the Town Plaza Cinemas will have "Something About Mary," a comedy with Cameron Diaz and Matt Dillon. They may be the sleeper hits of the summer.

Neither film is the typical action movie often associated with the summer blockbuster. But, Miller said, that's not unusual. Many of the blockbusters are comedies and even romances.

"People like variety, and Hollywood knows that," he said.